1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a multi-display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-display apparatus that minimizes image disconnection at seams of display panels incorporated therein, and a method of manufacturing the multi-display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, large-screen multi-display apparatuses are implemented by connecting a plurality of display panels. In the past, large screens were realized by inter-connecting a plurality of numbers of Braun® tubes into a large television. However, recently, due to the increasing demand for large screens in small mobile apparatuses, such as mobile phones or personal digital assistants (“PDAs”), larger screens are being produced by inter-connecting flat panel displays such as liquid crystal displays (“LCDs”), field emission displays (“FEDs”), plasma display panels (“PDPs”), and organic light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”).
Conventionally, multi-display apparatuses are manufactured by connecting unit panels 10 in parallel, as depicted in FIG. 1. That is, a multi-screen is realized by connecting the plurality of the unit panels 10 in parallel as depicted in FIG. 1. However, an image at a seam between a pair of unit panels 10 is not smoothly formed when the pair of unit panels 10 is connected in parallel, as the pair of unit panels 10 becomes frequently disconnected at the seam between the pair of unit panels 10. As schematically depicted in FIG. 1, a flat panel display has a sealing structure in which a display device 12 that forms a pixel is mounted on a substrate glass 11 and a cover glass 13 covering the display device 12 is attached to the substrate glass 11. As such, the cover glass 13 basically has a rim thickness t and the display device 12 is located on an inner portion of the cover glass 13. Therefore, an image separation of as much as a disconnection distance w occurs at the seam between the pair of display devices 12. The distance w cannot be reduced since the distance w is inevitably required for the cover glass 13 to cover the display devices 12 to protect the display devices 12. Therefore, there is a limitation in improving the image disconnection at the seam between the pair of unit panels 10 in the above parallel connection structure.
One attempt to overcome this problem involves a structure as will now be described in FIG. 2. The structure includes two substrates 21a and 22a formed on respectively first and second unit panels 21 and 22, and cover glass 21c and 22c disposed over respective pixels 21b and 22b. The pair of first and second unit panels 21 and 22 is disposed with a step difference, and pixel boundaries between the pair of first and second unit panels 21 and 22 are vertically aligned along line L, as shown, e.g., in FIG. 2. That is, after the pair of first and second unit panels 21 and 22 are disposed with the step difference as depicted in FIG. 2, a right side boundary surface of the pixel 21b of the first unit panel 21 is aligned to a left side boundary surface of the pixel 22b of the second unit panel along vertical line L. In such form, the image disconnection at a seam between the pair of first and second unit panels 21 and 22 is minimized when the image is seen from above the pair of first and second unit panels 21 and 22. The multi-display apparatus of FIG. 2 includes a transparent plate 23 mounted on the second panel 22 to match upper surfaces of the two unit panels 21 and 22.
However, while the configuration shown in FIG. 2 provides some measure of image connection, the step difference between the two unit panels 21 and 22 result in a greater thickness of the overall structure. Considering that the recent trend is to pursue lightweight and slim display products, the increased product thickness of the multi-display apparatus is not typically a desirable feature and may have a negative impact on competition of multi-display products in the market. Furthermore, the multi-display apparatuses as described above are typically manufactured in a folder type structure in which a pair of panels is connected with a hinge for mobile convenience. That is, when a multi-display apparatus is carried, the pair of panels is folded, but when the multi-display apparatus is used, the two panels are unfolded into one screen as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. As a result of this configuration, an air gap G between the pair of panels, as depicted in FIG. 3, occurs even when a structural tolerance between the pair of panels is well matched when the stack layer type structure as depicted in FIG. 2 is manufactured. Accordingly, the thickness of multi-display products increases.
Accordingly, to ensure product competitiveness, there is a need for a multi-display apparatus that can mitigate the image disconnection at a seam between panels of the multi-display apparatus without increasing the thickness of the panels of the multi-display apparatus.